MewTwo's War: Part One Rise of Giovanni
by Tyler Willis
Summary: Giovanni has finally fulfilled his long held dream of controlling Kanto. Now, with a grand army marching to his flag, Giovanni has began his conquest of Johto, which not even the great Lance can defend. Desperately in need of aid from other regions, and with little manpower left, Johto is fighting to hold on to both its sovereignty and civility.
1. Prolog

**MewTwo's War, Part One:**

_**Rise of Giovanni.**_

**Prolog**

The land had once been green, abundant with lush grass, fragrant trees, and aromatic flowers. The sky had once been as clear as the sea, allowing the beauty of the sun to reach down and touch the earth. The water had once been cool, and refreshing. Now the mountain road, known as Route 26, was a dead, burning place.

It had taken nearly a year, but Route 26 was now, once again, firmly under the control of the Kanto region. They first captured Victory Road, the mountain pass that protected the Indigo Plateau. Then the Kantonian Army drove the Elite Four form the Indigo Plateau, before finally starting their siege on Route 26.

The war had cost the Johto region more than they could afford. Nearly half of the Johto Infantry had been lost, trying to stop the Kanto advance. Thousands of Pokémon had been sacrificed to try and keep Route 26 in Johto's possession. Worst of all, as Giovanni pushed his forces closer to New Bark Town, the government of Johto began to lose the faith of its people; the Johto Republic collapsed, and the Elite Four had no choice but to seize control.

The northeastern and eastern parts of Johto were protected by Mt. Silver, a vast hollowed mountain. It was nearly impassable in the best of conditions, and the few pathways were blocked by what remained of the Johto Infantry. What ships belonged to Johto were deployed to protect New Bark Town and the Gulf of Cherrygrove. Volunteers, lead by the Gym Leader Falkner, patrolled the skies over Mt. Silver, and the Charizard Valley was prepared to help intercept any air invasion made by Kanto.

Johto was safe so long as Giovanni, the "President" of the Kanto region, didn't launch a joint assault by land, air, and sea. For his part, Giovanni wasn't willing to risk devoting all of his forces to an attack on Johto, for the Sinnoh and Hoenn regions, islands that resided close to one another, had entered into a military alliance; Giovanni couldn't take the gamble that as he invaded Johto, Kanto wouldn't be attacked by the joint force of Sinnoh and Hoenn.

So it was that, tentatively, the Johto region was able to keep its sovereignty. Yet the fighting continued. The Kantonian Army sustained its assault on the passes through Mt. Silver, and it was only a matter of time before the Johto Infantry would run out of men. As more and more men, and women, enlisted to protect Johto, there were fewer and fewer people left to produce food, and military equipment, thus depriving soldiers of vitally needed supplies. Johto had, at best, another fifteen months.

Lance, Champion of the Elite Four, was growing desperate. His own legion was slowly being eroded, and not even his great dragons could keep the generals of Kanto at bay. So, in a despite attempt to save his new nation, Lance, Champion of the Elite Four, sent out for help.

To Sinnoh he sent an envoy asking for any Onix trainers that could be spared, to help prevent new tunnels from being formed through Mount Silver. To Hoenn he sent an ambassador begging for naval support. To Dared Isle, where all Ghost Pokémon had fled, he sent Morty, to try and reason with the dead. And to the Island of the Psychics he sent his colleague, Will, to seek aid.

And throughout the Johto region, Lance, Champion of the Elite Four, send out messengers to every city under his protection; he wanted the best trainers, with the strongest Pokémon, to enlist, with the intent of using them to launch a desperate attack on Kanto.

And so, as Lance, Champion of the Elite Four, failed again and again and again to attain his needed help, our story begins.


	2. Johto I

**MewTwo's War, Part One:**

_**Rise of Giovanni.**_

**Johto I**

"Come on. Come on little one. That's right…just a little closer. Don't be scared. That righ- GOT YOU!" The young man tossed forward a sphere, the bottom half solid white and the top part gray, with a gold U. The Poké Ball, called an Ultra Ball, connected with the intended target. Thus it was that the Ditto was caught, becoming Alic's fourth Pokémon.

"Yes, yes, yes! I did it." The young man, four months away from being twenty, jumped up and down, expressing his joy at catching a Ditto. "Come on Ski, it's time to go."

At Alic's call, a small, four-legged creature, with hooves, and a fiery mane and tail, entered into the clearing. It approached Alic slowly, tranquilly, and gently nuzzled his shoulder with its muzzle, pressing soft white fur against its trainer.

"Come on, Ski. We gotta get outta here 'fore dark." Alic said, gently patting his Ponyta. Keeping his hand in contact with Ski, Alic began to walk back the way he'd come, towards the edge of the forest. His Ponyta followed dutifully behind.

"This is great, isn't it? Now we got another friend." Alic told his oldest friend. As he and Ski walked, things slowly got darker. And as dusk was about to settle on the land, Alic tripped over a sleeping form, landing flat on his face. Ski whinnied in amusement.

Alic let out a strangled groan, and struggled to get up; it was when Alic was resting on one knee that he felt the clod metallic feel of a sword's sharp point pressed against his neck, directly above Alic's Carotid Artery. Alic looked up, and saw the dull purple of his attacker's eyes.

"Who are you?" Alic asked, reflexively. Ski stood still, awaiting Alic's orders.

"Derik." The purple-eyed boy responded. His voice was raspy, coarse like someone who was in desperate need of water, yet contained a tint of softness, as though it could be a lovely sound. Slowly, as through it was a horrible difficulty, Derik lowered his blade. "Are you alright."

Alic accepted the hand offered him, and was pulled up to his feet. "You startled me." Derik said, explain his action.

"That was wicked! But why'd ya pull a sword 'n me?" Alic asked, walking over to Ski.

"You startled me. That does not happen often." Derik looked up, through the trees, and saw the black expanse of the sky. "Do you need somewhere to camp this evening?"

"I guess I do. Why, are ya saying I can camp with you?"

"It would be polite to offer to share this campsite with anyone who may need it. Provided you have your own equipment."

"Equipment?" Alic asked, glancing at Ski.

"Equipment, such as a sleeping bag, a tent, something with which to provide protection as you sleep?"

"Protection? He must not be from 'round here, right Ski? Listen, 'Rik, ya don't need protection 'ere. We got a forest protector; 'e looks after us travelers who take refuge in his 'orest."

"A protector? A human?"

"Naw, silly. Ya really aren't from here are you? Guess I shou'd o' known from your accent?" Alic laughed as he plopped down on the ground, next to where Derik's now vacant sleeping bag lay. "'Sa Pokémon that guards us. A blue Scyther, swift as the wind and strong as Entei. So, 'ere ya from?"

"You talk a lot. I am afraid that it is past my bedtime. In the morning, if you are still here when I awake, you will be welcome to join me for breakfast."

XXX

The sun reached down, gliding its golden touch across the earth, caressing the wood of the forest trees and the forest ground. The light filtered through the foliage, through his eyelids, and slowly led Alic to awaken. He lifted his head off of Ski's side, which had been his pillow throughout the night, and looked around. Sitting atop his sleeping bag was Derik, eating a slice of bread.

"Are you hungry?" Derik asked without looking in Alic's direction. Not waiting for an answer, the purple-eyed boy tossed Alic a little less than half a loaf of bread, and what remained of a block of cheese. "You can have that. I know it is not much, but it is all I can spare."

"Thanks." Alic tore the bread in half as best he could, than gave the larger portion to Ski. Alic ate his bread, and the cheese, quickly. "So, where ya headed?"

"I am supposed to meet someone in Goldenrod City."

"Do ya know the way?"

"I do. This forest connects to a small village near Azalea Town. From that village, I can reach Azalea, and from there I can move on to the Ilex Forest. After that, I am nearly in Goldenrod."

"That sounds right. But, do you know which way to that village?" Alic asked, petting Ski, who was still lying down.

"No, I don't think I do."

"Ya want me ta guide you?" Alic asked.

"That is very nice of you to offer, but I could not possibly impose so greatly upon you."

"Think nothing of it. Ski and me have been meaning to head over to Azalea Town anyways. So, least I could do 's lead ya that far, right?"

"Okay. Thank you." Derik said, is voice still as strained as it had been the previous night.

The two set off soon after that, Derik carrying a pack with his provisions and equipment, and Alic leading Ski. As the day slowly progressed, more Pokémon began to show themselves. For the most part they were just Caterpie or Spinaraks, but twice they encountered Parasects. There to were Bellsprouts and Sunkern throughout the forest.

The two traveled in near silence, the only words spoken being from Alic to Ski. It was after noon when they chose to rest, having spent almost six hours traveling. They chose a clearing, and as Derik removed his pack, Alic threw himself to the ground.

"So, what are ya goin ta do in Goldenrod?" Alic asked, once Derik had settled. "For a job, I mean."

"I am going to enlist, most likely, once I've found the person I'm looking for."

"You? But ya look like you're only eighteen!" Alic exclaimed.

"I turned sixteen six months ago."

"They aren't ganna a'cept you. Ya know that, right?"

"I know they will. So, Alic, what about you. What do you do?"

"Me? 'ell, Ski and me patrol this 'orest. We help the injured Pokémon that we find, when we can. Mostly though, we gather food and scavenge for supplies. I have a house near the edge of the forest, so I can keep myself hygienic."

"How did you and Ski end up together?"

"My brother gave me Ski when I was ten years old. I've 'ad him since 'e was born."

"Where is your brother?" Derik asked.

"Serving under Falkner. My mum's in the navy; the real navy, mind you, serving aboard a destroyer. My paps, he died durin' the invasion 'f the Indigo Plateau, helping the Elite Four retreat. And my sis…well, she's trapped over in Kanto."

"I am sorry." Derik said, and he sounded sad; the first emotion that Alic had heard in the purple-eyed boy since meeting him.

"'s okay. Not your fault. Anyways, I think we should get movin." With that, Alic stood, waited for Derik to follow suet, and then resumed walking.

After another two hours of walking, Derik asked, "How much further in the edge of this forest?"

"Not far. It'll be an hour way, once we wake up in 'he morning."

They walked for another five and a half hours, before making camp for the night. Near the center of the forest, as Alic and Derik slept, there was a flicker of movement, and ripples formed on the small pool of water, which resided in the heart of the forest. And on that pool of water, a shadowy blue reflection was momentarily caught; something was stirring.


	3. Gulf of Cherrygrove I

**MewTwo's War, Part One:**

_**Rise of Giovanni.**_

**Gulf of Cherrygrove I**

The J.N.S. _Delphi_ was the best of the Johto Armada, and was currently patrolling the Gulf of Cherrygrove. The _Delphi_ was an excellent ship, with a battle record that was flawless, something no other ship of the Johto Armada could boast. And, unlike most other ship in the Armada, the _Delphi_ was actually armed with weapons other then Pokémon.

The J.N.S _Delphi_ was armed with three eleven-inch cannons, and nearly a dozen anti-aircraft guns. The _Delphi_ too was armed with depth charges, and rapid-fire gun turrets used to target water Pokémon. And, naturally, the _Delphi_ had just over a hundred Pokémon trainers.

Now, the _Delphi_ was part of the main battle group patrolling the Gulf of Cherrygrove. There, in the _Delphi's _battle group, were nine other ships, their only weapons being the Pokémon they employed. There, also, was a contingent of Dewgong protecting the underside of the ships, and Fearows guarding the skies.

So far, the Gulf of Cherrygrove had seen no combat, the few Kanto ships sailing against New Bark Town, where defenses were strongest. Indeed, it seemed as though Giovanni was reluctant to invade Johto by sea; understandable since the Kanto "president" had no reason to feel safe from the Sinnoh and Hoenn regions.

Or so Lance, Champion of the Elite Four, thought. And throughout the course of the Kantonian invasion, and the current war, Lance, Champion of the Elite Four, was proven right. So, what industrial might Johto possessed was geared towards bettering what remained Johto Infantry, giving no care to augmenting the Armada. Thus it was that when the First WarFleet, under the command of Vice-Admiral Blaine, former Gym Leader of Cinnabar Island, sailed against Cherrygrove, the Johto Armada was completely unprepared.

"Bring the forward guns to bear. Target the nearest ship. Fire on my mark." Blaine ordered, a halcyon air about him. One of his subordinates relayed his orders to the gunners below, who worked quickly to fulfill what was demanded of them. Within minutes, well before the Johto Armada was even aware of Blaine's presents, the _Delhi_ was targeted. Then Blaine gave the order to fire.

In less than a minute, the main cannons of the _Delhi_ were nothing but piles of charred rubble. And then, in the water, Seaking, Staryu, and even some Mantine, along with the initial Dewgong, all on the side of Johto, were preparing to defend themselves. The smoke from the _Delphi_ alerted the other nine ships belonging to her battle group; it, too, alerted what other Johto ships were in the Gulf of Cherrygrove that something was wrong.

And as the ships of Johto released what Pokémon they had, Blaine again ordered his ship, and the other ships of his fleet, to attack. And with Kanto were nearly a hundred Gyarados, as savage as their trainers. And within the first five minutes of the battle, the waters of Cherrygrove were tinted red.

The _Amazon Archer_ was one of the ships assigned to the _Delphi_'s battle group. She was a large ship, huge compared to the _Delphi_, and heavily armored, though it had only Pokémon as armaments. Magnetons floated around on the upper deck, awaiting orders from their trainers, while Voltorbs were preparing to be projected from sections of the lower decks.

As the artillery of the Kantonian ships arched downward, falling toward the _Amazon Archer_, warped rays of electrical might lanced out, striking the declining missiles, causing mild explosions. And that's when the real battle began; ships from both sides sailed up to one another, trainers and Pokémon trying to capture the vessel of the other.

And Blaine watched from the safety of his flagship, as the First WarFleet of Kanto, given to the Vice-Admiral by Giovanni himself, steadily cut down what resistance the Johto Armada could mount. And at Blaine's side stood his Magmar.

There was a pale gleam upon the coast, brief but bright. Blaine turned his attention towards it, curious about what Johto was doing. And when he saw what was happening all along the coast, Blaine's eyes widened with disbelief. For there, massing along the water's border, were hundreds of Mr. Mimes. They were using their psychic powers, their Reflects, to create a barrier of ethereal might. That barrier would stop Kanto from making a landing.

Then Blaine saw what was behind them, those Mr. Mimes. There were Rapidashes, covered in silver armor. And atop each was a solder, who too was dressed in silver armor, with a purple star outlined on a shield. They were the Royal Rapidash Riders, the guard used to protect His Majesty Sebastian, Emperor of the Island of the Psychics.

"Damn those bastards." Blaine growled. "We let them keep their sovereignty, and they give aid the enemy."

"Mar…"

"You're right, old friend." Blaine said. Quickly, he turned to his aid, and ordered, "Have the second and forth Gyarados squadrons brake off from the main assault force; have them link up with the _Jar'Car_ Battle Group. Redirect the Capital-Ship _Zapdos_ to the southernmost point of the coast, and start a bombardment."

And Blaine's orders were followed, the groups of Gyarados merged together. They glided across the surface of the water, making no effort to hide their movements. They raised their bodies up, stretching high over the water's surface, mouths spread afar. Yellowish spheres of energy formed within their jaws, and in a sudden expense of energy, each Gyarados released a Hyper Beam.

The attacks lanced out, and impacted on the wall of psychic power. And as their attack faded, the _Zapdos_ opened fire, lobbing short range rockets and surface torpedoes. The explosions rippled across the wall of light, obscuring the awaiting Riders. And as the detonations faded, the Capital-Ship _Zapdos_ leveled its main cannons, preparing to truly attack.

As the _Zapdos_ pitched its artillery shells at the defenses, the _Jar'Car_ Battle Group moved into position with the Gyarados. The _Jar'Car_ Battle Group was composed of twenty-five Dewgong, five Lapras, five Blastoise, five Victreebel, and two torpedo boats. The Dewgong formed a single, long, line, parallel to the cost, and attacked with Ice Beam, while the five Blastoise attempted to overwhelm the psychic barrier with Hydro Pump. The Lapras, too, struck with Hydro Pump, while from their back the Victreebel sent out streams of Razor sharp Leaves.

Still, there was little change in the obstacle created by the Mr. Mime. Blaine, for a moment, considered ordering his ship to join the attack, but he dismissed the idea as unnecessary. The amount of energy being used by the Mr. Mime to protect the entire cost of Cherrygrove would wear them out soon. And then Blaine would get the satisfaction of seeing the traitorous psychics, and the city of Cherrygrove, burn in the hellfire of war.

In the sky, Kanto had taken little action, sending out only a few of their own Fearows to occupy the Johto's attempt at a defense. They, the aerial forces of Kanto and Johto, were fighting to a standstill, leaving Johto with only a small line of defense, the ships that remained.

"Sir, look!" One of Blaine's aids shouted, something Blaine was unaccustomed to. Blaine looked at the aid, giving him a look that made the young man cower back.

"Mar…" Magmar said, staring lazily at the sky. Blaine turned from the aid, and followed his Pokémon's gaze. And that's when he saw it.

A massive swarm of Xatu, probably around a hundred. All about them was a purplish haze, which Blain new to be their collective psychic energies manifesting. And the Xatu were headed towards the larger concentration of Kantonian ships.

Blaine had nearly twenty ships surrounding his Flagship, most of them destroyers and cruisers. And it was for this group that the Xatu moved. As they drew closer, the Vice-Admiral ordered all ships to target the incoming hostels, and to release all Pokémon.

Ship-to-Air missiles were the first to fire, racing towards the Xatu. And the Xatu responded by using Lightscreen, forming sheets of light that physically blocked the missiles. As he saw this, Blain let out a sigh; this was the very reason he hated psychic Pokémon, because they always stopped themselves from being killed.

And from Blain's ship, nearly two dozen Charizards soared up, and with mighty roars, they attacked the Xatu. They exhaled thin, powerful streams of fire. And the Xatu scattered. The lead Charizard cut through the scattering mass of birds, rising higher and higher. And following close behind were three Xatu.

The Charizard seemed to realize something was wrong, for he arched his back, and looped around. And then he stopped, a faint purple aura emanating from him. One of the Xatu was using Psychic, using the telekinetic powers to hold Charizard immobile. Another Xatu spiraled upward, stabbing into the Charizard's gut with its beak.

Blain looked away, unable to watch as a mighty fire Pokémon was assaulted by puny birds.

All across the deck of his ship, Blain saw Magnetons hovering, sparking with electrical energy. The Magnetons were grouped in twos, and standing between each was an Electabuzz, a Pokémon that Blain was happy to have on bored.

Two of the Magnetons suddenly struck, using Thunderbolt. Their attacks hit the Electabuzz, who absorbed the electricity, and immediately directed upwards. This bolt of electrical power shot like an arrow, aiming for one of the many Xatu that swarmed the sky.

The attack collided with a Light Screen, and for a few seconds nothing happened. Then the barrier of light shattered, pieces of the ethereal shield falling into the ocean like sheets of ice. And a Xatu was struck, electricity surging through its body. Smoke rose from its wings, which it was no longer able to use.

The Xatu plunged down into the water, where a waiting Vaporeon pounced on it, bitting into the Xatu's fried flesh.

All across the sky, similar scenes were unfolding, as other ships were using their electric Pokémon. Blain felt a deep, honest sense of satisfaction, knowing that the psychic birds were dying; like nearly everyone in Kanto, he had been raised to fear the abnormal powers psychics possessed, and while he could tolerate Sabrina, any other psychic had, in the Vice-Admiral's opinion, no right to live.

Then Blain saw the problem, and cursed. The Xatu had been unable to properly protect themselves because of the chaos the Charizards had created. Now, as Blain's eyes were glued to the sky, he saw that the last of the Charizards were thrown in the way of a Thunderbolt. And with that, Kanto had unintentionally defeated the last of its own Charizards.

The Xatu reformed each recreating the Light Screens, providing a greater protection now that they'd had a chance to regroup. And then the Xatu attacked.

Black spheres of sinister energy formed between their wingspans, growing larger until at least they were the size of a pineapple. Without a second thought, Blain called out, ordering the Electabuzz to use Light Screen.

The Xatu dropped their Shadow Balls. In response, the Magnetons tried to intercept the falling attacks with their Thunderbolts. For the most part, they were ineffective, and the Electabuzz lacked the skill to effectually defend the ships they were on. And because of this, many of the Xatu's attacks hit their targets.

Magmar, who stood rigidly by his master's side, gazed up, and stare at one of the spheres of blacked shadows. As it was plunging down, Magmar tilted his head up, opened his mouth, and let out a stream of red flames. The stream smashed into the Shadow Ball, the flames forming around the sphere, constricting its power, and dissipating its energy. When Magmar stopped exhaling, the Shadow Ball was gone.

"Good work." Blain said, not taking his eyes off the Xatu.

Then a glint caught his eye. Blain turned his head, and was awestruck. For sailing upon the horizon was an armada of elegant ships, gleaming in the golden sunlight. None of the ships were as big as even the smallest Kantonian torpedo boat, nor did any of them seem to be armed. But resting proudly, defiantly, upon each ship's mast was a silver flag, with a purple star residing in the center.

This was the Armada belonging to the Island of the Psychics. And waiting on these ships would be more Xatu, more Mr. Mimes, as well as countless Kadabras and Gardevoirs.

For this reason, Vice-Admiral Blain gave the order to retreat. For with no way to force a landing, his transport ships would be sitting ducks, and his offensive ships would be cut through by the raw will of the psychic Pokémon. The First WarFleet, under the command of Vice-Admiral Blaine, reformed, and sailed away.

And in truth, it was a victory for Kanto, barely any of Johto's ships were left in the Gulf of Cherrygrove, and most of the water Pokémon who had been deployed there were dead. And though Blaine didn't know it, the armada that he had seen was not there to aid Johto, for it wasn't there at all. As the last of the Kantonian ships disappeared into the distance, the purple aura surrounding the Xatu vanished, and with it so to vanished all but two of the ships belonging to the Island of the Psychics.

And those ships sailed into Cherrygrove Harbor, and were met with cheers. The Mr. Mimes had been returned to their pokeballs, and the Royal Rapidash Riders had assembled in the harbor to meet their comrades.

For the moment, Cherrygrove was safe. For the moment, Kanto would think Cherrygrove had an armada of psychics protecting it. For the moment, the Royal Rapidash Riders were aiding the Johto region. For the moment, hope flickered in the people's hearts.


	4. Johto II

**MewTwo's War, Part One:**

_**Rise of Giovanni.**_

**Johto II**

Goldenrod City, once the greatest metropolis in the world, stood now as nothing more than a reminder of how horrible things where. Now, Goldenrod had an unprecedented poverty level, a side effect of resources being channeled away from the people of the city, and into the defense of Mt. Silver. Yet the individuals of Goldenrod, they were not a people who would easily give up their hope; no, their optimism, their courage, was maintained, for they had faith in Lance, Champion of the Elite Four.

Goldenrod hadn't always been the capital of Johto. Long ago, Olivine had held great importance, and during the first years of the Johto Republic, Olivine held the honor of being called capital; as Olivine's connection the ocean became less important, there was a battle of politics between Mahogany Town and Violet City over which should be the new capital. Then, at last, it was decided that Blackthorn would be bestowed the glory of being the capital of the great Johto Republic.

Then, a long time later, Kanto attacked, and the Republic fell. Lance, Champion of the Elite Four, was quick to perceive the danger of having a Capital so close to Kanto, with only Mt. Silver to protect it. When the Elite Four had been vested with the political power to govern, they immediately implemented a plan to set Goldenrod as the great capital of Johto.

The Government Building stood tall, the white stone a picturesque sight set against cloud filled sky. The lunch rush had not yet started so the streets were still empty of the traffic that would block almost all passage through the sidewalks. The few people who were walking around paused in their movements to admire the beauty of the Government Building, delighted in the knowledge that even now, Johto had some semblance of splendor.

The inside of the building was just as magnificent, if not more so than that of the outside. The lobby was a spacious affair; the walls were composed of the same stone that made up the exterior, a fine example of marble. Covering these walls were banners that had a swirling mix of gold and bright sliver, symbolizing the solidarity of Johto's sovereignty. Amidst all of this was a grand bronze fountain with three tiers and studded with twinkling lapis; atop this masterful work of art was a single Seadra, from which a glorious spout of water cascaded into the basin below.

Past the lobby, past the labyrinth like hallways, past the various solid oak doors, rested a conference room, in which the ambassadors of Hoenn and Sinnoh, along with the ambassador from the Island of the Psychics, were meeting with Agatha, the "leader" of the Elite Four. Each of the three ambassadors, and their host, held a place at a large oak table set in the center of the room, from which they were conducting their discussions.

"…dy requested aid from you, and for the past month have received nothing. So, I have to ask, why is Sinnoh taking such cowardly actions? Is it really so much to ask, a few hundred Onix?"

"Well, Sinnoh might help if you weren't indirectly insulting our integrity." Zero, champion of Sinnoh, and self-appointed representative of the island nation, responded.

"Indirectly insulting? There was nothing indirect about what I said. The fact of the matter is, if Sinnoh had any integrity to begin with, you would have rushed to our aid the moment we send for help, if not sooner." Agatha said, dull amusement dancing in her eyes.

"Then if we're so cowardly, why are you even bothering to demand our help in the first place? If you'd bother to compare our two nations, I think you'd see that we of Sinnoh are far less likely of suffering harm at the hands of Giovanni. Is it not better, smarter even, to be one who practices the act of cowardice, then one who is dragged to destruction by a false sense of duty? So when Johto does lose this war, if Sinnoh were to be caught helping, we'd be next." Then, as an after though, Zero added, "Not that Giovanni can take us down in a few months like he's done with you."

"Could," Derik, ambassador of His Majesty Sebastian, Emperor of the Island of the Psychics, started, massaging his right temple, "We, by any chance, return to a topic of relevance? Is it not the goal of this meeting to reach so form of…compromise?"

"Well, if you want a compromise we could battle for it, because where I'm from, that's how we solve all of our problems. Why do you think the people of Sinnoh get along with each other?"

"You," Derik said, his breathing somewhat labored, "Want a battle? Then, as a servant of his His Majesty, I am obligated to accept. Based on what you've said, I believe," Derik paused, face contorting slightly as he struggled to remember the words he wished to us, "That you've stated you would give your support to Johto if I beat you. Is that true?"

"Dude, I'm asking to fight you, not that weirdo king of yours. So, I made the challenge, you set the place, 'cause we sure as hell aren't fighting here."

"First," Derik said with a sigh, "We don't have a king. We have a democratically elected emperor. As for the place, I believe Whitney's gym is available for such…disreputable confrontations. Is this acceptable to you? And do you agree to the terms I set forward?"

"Yeah sure, why not. Beating a psychic trainer shouldn't be that hard to do, and if you're anything like Lucian this is gonna be a fun fight."

"Lucian? Little Lucian has fought with a low-born like you? How the world has brought about change. Very well, I shall meet you at Whitney's gym in half an hour. Our battle shall be three on three, and upon your loss, you will give aid to Johto." Then, after a pause, Derik asked, "What do you want if you win?"

"What do I want? Hmm that's a hard one. How about you get-"

"Down on my knees and beg for your forgiveness for having insulted you? Very well, that shall be your prize if you win" Derik said, eyes slightly glowing as he spoke. Without another word, the ambassador rose and left the room, nodding politely to Agatha, and to Sieg, ambassador of Hoenn.

"Arceus damned psychics. Think that their so much better that the rest of us. I'll show him! He doesn't stand a chance against me. Heh time to die."

"Perhaps you should try to be less rash." Sieg said, once Agatha had left the room. "It was Sinnoh, was it not, that approached we of Hoenn with the idea of an alliance. Why then are you so against trying to give help to those who need it? If we aid Johto, Giovanni can be stopped. Yet if we do nothing, we'll be left with a target upon our back, with no one left to give us aid."

"Oh come on, if you were me wouldn't you do the same thing?" Zero turned to look at his grey-haired companion.

"Were I you, I wouldn't be in that situation." Sieg said, walking out of the room, leaving Zero alone.

"Crap! Stupid Agatha riling me up like that. Well, I got myself into this mess, I guess I gotta get myself out." Zero said, in a softer tone now that he was alone. And at the exact moment he was speaking, Derik stepped into the Government Building's lobby.

As he stepped outside, Derik was confronted with the sight of Alic, the forest boy who refused to leave him alone. Not that Derik had a problem with Alic, it was just somewhat disturbing to have someone attempt to be his friend; on his home island, friendship was a ramped side-effect of telepathy. Yet here where psychics were rare, and typically distrusted, this was the first time any normal person tried to befriend Derik.

"You 'ere in there a lo'g time. 's everything okay?" Alic said, as he jogged over to Derik, his Ponyta close behind him.

"Things are…interesting. It would seem I've committed myself to a battle." Derik responded offhandedly. Then, in part because of edict, Derik asked, "Would you care to join me and watch my battle."

"Sure. I aint ever s'en a real Pokémon ba'le." Alic said. Derik nodded, and set off towards what had been Whitney's gym.

The large, well enforced building had once been devoted to the use of the small girl named Whitney. Before the war, she had been a gym leader, employing an unusual, though undeniably powerful, duo of normal type Pokémon. Now, Whitney was busy in the western part of Johto, working to augment the efficiency of the national food production; in the truest sense, it was now her job to escort as much food as possible to Mt. Sliver, for the use of the troops fighting there.

As such, Whitney's gym had been abandoned for some time. Though it was kept in good repair, thanks to the generosity of an older couple who lived to the south of Goldenrod, it was used for nothing nowadays. Thus Derik, followed closely by Alic, entered the empty gym, the lights flashing to life as he crossed the threshold.

"Wow." Alic said with awe. "I aint ever seen 'uch a big place. Wh't's it supposed ta be?"

"This is a Pokémon gym. In most regions, they exist as a place for trainers to prove their strength. While we have nothing like it where I'm from, it seems to be a common form of entertainment throughout most of the "civilized" world." Derik said, walking to the far side of the room. "You can take a seat on one of the benches lining the wall, or you can stand behind me. Whichever you'd feel more comfortable doing."

And as Alic walked over to the side wall, Agatha of the Elite Four, followed closely by Sieg, entered the gym. They looked somewhat befuddled when they saw Alic, but they remained silent, having no need to question Derik's choice of spectators. Just a few more minutes passed, and Zero walked through the electronic doors, moving to place himself across from Derik.

That's when Alic noticed the white rectangles on the floor, and that's when Sieg noticed Ponyta standing by Alic. (Agatha had seen Ponyta several seconds after she walked in.)

"As stated, we'll have a three on three Pokémon match. As you were the challenger, please send out your first Pokémon." Agatha called out, choosing to act as the referee.

"Ya, give more of an advantage to him. Guess you're trying to even the odds, 'cause he sucks." Zero smirked, pulling a ball, half red and half white, from his belt. He gripped it a special way, thus causing it to enlarge; with an easy flick of his wrist, he tossed the Poké Ball forward. It collided with the ground, resonating a soft clattering noise, and sprung open, releasing a red light.

And that red light formed into a large four legged animal, partly bright blue, with thick tuffs of blackish fur atop its head, forepaws, and hindquarters. Its tail was log, covered in fine blackish fur, and the end was shaped like a star. Derik searched his memory for a moment, before placing the creature with its appropriate name; it was a Luxray.

Derik closed his eyes, concentrating. There's another, larger, flash of red light. And when that fades, standing opposite the Luxray is a Drowzee.

"In the name of Arceus, what is that thing?" Zero burst out laughing. "Is that supposed to be intimidating?"

"No." Derik stated simply. Then he tilted his head forward slightly, something the Drowzee saw. And with a strange speed, Drowzee rushed forward, swinging its arm wildly. There's a whooshing sound, as Drowzee's thick yellow arm pounded into the side of the Luxray, pushing it back a few feet.

"Thunder Fang!" Zero shouted. Immediately, the Luxray shifted his weight, and pounced on Drowzee, clamping his jaw around Drowzee's exposed yellow shoulder. Electricity surged through Luxray's jaw striking into Drowzee's nervous system, stopping several key neural impulses from firing properly. With a gasp for air, Drowzee fell down to the ground when Luxray finally let it go.

"Is that all you got?" Zero asked as Derik returned Drowzee to a Poké Ball.

"Would you care to take the next shot?" Derik asked in a murmur. After a brief silence, during which Zero gave him a look that clearly reviled the Sinnoh ambassador's opinion of the psychic, Derik pulled a pure white ball from within the folds of his uniform. A red light flashed from it, releasing an Espeon onto the field.

"End this, please." Derik said kindly to the stretching cat, who flicked her tail affectionately.

The Espeon was gone, no longer stretching before her trainer. In the space of a second, Espeon appeared before Luxray, charging head first into him; as he was send flying back, due to the force of Espeon's head impacting Luxray's chest, a purple aura surrounded the electric Pokémon. As the Luxray was sent tumbling backwards, Espeon looked up, lifting up her head; by that action, Luxray sored into the air, the purple filed of energy glowing brighter.

"What the? What's going on?" Zero shouted, not in anger, but with a tone of curiosity.

"Espeon has very strong psychic powers. Particularly, we spent a long time training her telekinetic proficiency. She is able to use Psychic, the attack mind you, to reinforce her own body, upping her physical strength through shire force of will. Then she can redirect the attack away from her body, lashing out at her opponent." Derik said. "I'm sorry, was that too many words for you? I can try to speak dumber, if you need me to."

"Thunder! Use Thunder now, Lux!" Zero called out.

Luxray, suspended in the purplish air, began to spark as he channeled electricity from throughout his body into on centralized location. A yellow shine arose, spreading across Luxray's fur, till at last it was visible to those watching even through the psychic aura surrounding him. With a growl, Luxray released the energy, and a huge wave of energy flooded forth, coalescing into a dense bolt of power, which rushed towards Espeon.

And as the Luxray's attack struck the ground, where it was promptly absorbed, Espeon was already moving quickly, leaping up to attack Luxray again. Espeon's body collided with Luxray. What happened next went by in a flash, and not even Agatha could keep up with Espeon's footwork. Finally, Luxray was a collapsed heap on the ground, and Espeon towered majestically over him.

"Return," Zero said, returning his Luxray to his Poké Ball. "Go, Ludicolo. Use Hydro Pump!"

The large, rather ugly Pokémon called Ludicolo opened his mouth, and a high pressure jet of water came gushing out. It hit Espeon, carrying her with it until she was slammed against the far wall. As the watery attack subsided, Espeon fell to the ground, shivering slightly.

"Now finish it with a Giga Impact!" Zero shouted with excitement.

"Iron tail, please." Derik said. Espeon's velvet colored tail flashed suddenly, taking on a metallic property.

As Ludicolo charged wildly at Espeon, she swiftly maneuvered herself behind thing, and viciously battered it with her tail. The Ludicolo stumbled, tripping over its own feet, and falling flat on its face. Espeon leapt forward, and clamped her jaw down on Ludicolo's thick neck. Zero acted quickly to return it to its Poké Ball.

"That was uncalled for! You're Espeon could've really hurt my Pokémon!"

"The same way Giovanni is cruelly hurting, and killing, the Pokémon belonging to Johto trainers." Derik stated simply. "Please send out your next Pokémon, so we can finish this."

"Fine! I chose you, Blaziken!"

"A fire Pokémon against the ethereal might of a psychic? How…careless." Derik said, as Espeon struck out with Confusion, hurtling a week telekinetic field at the fiery bird. And nothing happened, causing Espeon to look back at her trainer. And in that distracted moment, the Blaziken used a Sky Uppercut, knocking Espeon unconscious.

"It seems you were right." Derik said softly, talking to himself. "I should have listened, I know. But now is a good a time as any, is it not?"

"Who're ya talkin to?" Alic called out, drawing Derik's attention.

"Come on out, Temperance." Derik said loudly, and a graceful, elegant Gardevoir teleported into the room. "Alic, this is who I was talking to. She has been with me since I was born, keeping me safe, and helping me serve His Majesty. She's been bugging me to let her fight, but I chose to hold her in reserve."

"Blaziken, use Flare Blitz!" Zero called out.

As the Blaziken dashed forward, flames beginning to exude from his body, Derik called out, "Do as you wish. Just be quick."

And Temperance the Gardevoir also began to move forward, gliding effortlessly towards the attacking Blaziken. And she passed through him, leaving him looking as dazed as Espeon had when her psychic powers had been ineffective.

All eyes turned to Temperance, who seemed to be smiling (Though her face, like all Gardevoir, was hidden.) And in her hand was a thin, beautiful chain made of an icy Quartz. Zero let out a small huff, which caught Derik's attention.

"Knock Off is a dark-type move, not a psychic move. Your item is unusual, but not unique; it was obvious that you're Blaziken was holding something, protecting it form psychic-type attacks. Now, you don't have that protection anymore, and Temperance can cut you to shreds anyway she wants." And when Derik had finished speaking, the Gardevoir gave a fashionable nod of her head.

"Flare Blitz once more!" Zero called out, feeling pumped at the sudden turn of events.

Before Blaziken had a chance to follow his orders, a glob of shadowy energy formed above the Gardevoir's shoulder, and slightly off to the side. It formed nearly instantaneously, and volleyed out at the charging Blaziken, hitting his lower abdomen. He staggered, though seemed for the most part to be unharmed. After a brief few seconds, he again attempted to use his attack on Temperance.

By this time, it was too late. Zero could do nothing but look on as Shadow Ball after Shadow Ball was formed and launched at his Blaziken, hitting it again and again, each time in a different, painful place. Within a minute Blaziken was curled up on the floor, with no choice but to suffer through the onslaught. And each time Zero tried to recall his Blaziken, the Gardevoir would use Psychic to prevent the Blaziken rescue.

"You've lost the battle. But that doesn't mean you aren't a good trainer. It doesn't mean you're not a good person. Help Johto, so that they don't have to suffer the way you're Blaziken is suffering. Sinnoh must help." And Derik suddenly sounded exhausted, his face looking decades older then he actually was. And he had a pleadingness in his eyes, a despite need for Zero to say he'd help.

"Stop it. Stop attacking Blaziken!" Zero shouted, running forward. Before he got more than a few steps, Sieg grabbed a hold of Zero, wrapping his arms around the blue haired boy, effectively immobilizing him. And though Zero struggled, Sieg was larger, better toned, stronger.

On the ground, Blaziken was still being bombarded by Temperance's Shadow Ball attacks. Blood was flowing from a large gash on his ribcage, and from smaller cuts on his arms and forehead. Bruises were already forming across Blaziken's body, and his breathing was labored and dangerously shallow.

"For the love of Arceus, stop it!" Zero screamed, his face wet with tears. "Do you think this is going to make me want to help you?"

"Don't you get it?" Agatha said, her voice shaking, her own eyes close to tears. "At the front, all the solders want is for Giovanni to stop. All the people of Johto want is for Giovanni to stop. You can help use make him stop."

"Fine." Zero whispered. And at that moment, Derik's Gardevoir stopped her attack. And Zero returned his beloved Pokémon to his Poké Ball.

Sieg, still holding tightly onto his companion, lead Zero towards the automated gym doors. Just before they reached the threshold, Derik called out, "I am sorry, Zero. I needed you to feel the hopelessness that Johto feels. The hopelessness you can change."

Then there was only Derik, Alic, and Agatha.

"You've done Johto a great service." Agatha said. "Do you think he'll keep his word? Do you think Sinnoh will join the war?"

"Yes, I do. But…I'm sorry, Agatha." Derik looked into the older woman's eyes. "You could have told him. If he knew that they left you, he would have tried to help you. He respects you, even if his personality wouldn't let him show it. We could have avoided having to fight…"

"I think you're wrong. They left because they didn't trust me; if he had known that, how could he have any faith in Johto? Now he has faith in you and your might. And because you are on our side, that makes him think Johto is still powerful. This fight was necessary. Without it, we could never have won the support of the Sinnoh champion." Agatha turned, and started leaving the gym. Without turning around to again face Derik, she called back, "I'm sorry you can't see that this had to happen."

Temperance placed her hand upon Derik's shoulder, and flooded his mind with love. For the Gardevoir loved her trainer, and wanted to make sure Derik would be okay, before she finally teleported away. And Derik was left with nothing to do except look at Alic. Doing that was a bad idea.

Alic's eyes were wide, and swirling with them was a devastating pain, an unquenchable confusion, an all-encompassing fear. And above all else, there was a treacherously raw hate.

Derik couldn't help but feel the turbulent emotions emanating from Alic; his years if psychic discipline melted away, and he was left defenseless before eddying chaos of Alic's heart. Derik was beginning to feel lightheaded, something that wasn't good. He saw Alic talking, shouting, at him, but heard nothing, overpowered by the hate, the confusion.

"Why'd you hurt that Pokémon? How could you hurt a Pokémon? I thought…I thought you were a good person!" Derik didn't hear Alic say this; he felt these thoughts wail up from the depths of Alic's mind.

Derik saw Alic run out of the gym, and the further Alic got from Derik, the clearer Derik could feel the unconsciousness spreading throughout his body. Derik fell to the floor of the abandoned gym, mind fill with an empty nothingness.

Derik wasn't sorry for what he'd done; for though what he'd done had cost him the chance to make a friend, a true friend, it had also insured that Johto would have a fighting chance. Derik had chosen to play the part of the selfless hero, sacrificing his happiness for the greater good.

Only one question remained: what role would Zero be cast in?


	5. Mt Silver I

**MewTwo's War, Part One:**

_**Rise of Giovanni.**_

**Mt. Silver I**

Aqua blue hair clung to her face, no longer as pristine as it had once been. Dirt and sweet mixed together, leaving her hair a sporadic mess. Blood, too, stained what had once been a beautiful head of hair. Not that anyone would call her on the state of her hair, for without her, all would be lost.

The men looked up to her, idolized her as a savior. She kept them strong, safe, alive. She led them day after day, insuring they held out against the crazed man who has been pitted against her. And each day, though she failed to push Him back, she survives, and her men live on, a victory in it of itself. She is seen as invincible by those she commands.

She had lost weight, of course. She was beautiful, to be sure, but underneath her layers of protective clothing, her ribs showed through her skin, her body horribly malnourished. She used cosmetics to hide her face, to keep up the appearances of health; no one, not her men, not her aids, not anyone who saw her during the day, knew how close to death she was. Yet she persisted, for she was the Miracle Worker, the protector of Johto.

At first, when she had been made a general, things had gone insufferably well for her. Her men, following her lead, had been unstoppable, recapturing ground, forcing the Kantonian Army further and further away from their target. And she had scoffed at the ease with which she attained victory, finding herself unable to understand how the Indigo Plateau could be taken by such weaklings.

And then they had set loose the dogs of war; He slipped into command of the Kanto forces, and almost instantaneously her progress was halted. She couldn't beat Him, not when her men were so few, and only clung to morale because she was there. She couldn't surprise Him, not when her every move was anticipated, a counter maneuver already in the works.

Yet, on the defensive, she could stop Him from overrunning Mt. Silver. She could keep His tactical genius tied up here, unable to aid in the conquest of the other paths through the mountain. And she took solace in the fact that, as long as she lived, He, that crazed man, would be matched, unable to claim victory for his sinful lord, Giovanni.

This day had been worse than any so far. She had been forced to lead a charge, flying forth in her glorious armor, to repel one of His offensives. It had been a trap; she know from the moment her legion connected with His army that it was a ploy on His part, but there was nothing she could do except play along. Her forces cut through His, pushing Him back nearly half a mile. And that's when she was flanked.

The right wing of her legion had been surrounded, her central column suddenly unable to make any headway. Her left wing was useless, pressed up against the solid rook that was Mt. Silver. He didn't show up, this time, and she could only conclude that He was directing things from the comfort of His camp; she was forced to call for a retreat.

Most of her legion's right wing were injured, though there were only a handful of deaths. She could hold her camp with what men she had left, even if He attacked again. But there was a pass she would have to lose, if He did attack. And so, she feared she may have to make a choice, between the safety of her men, and the safety of Johto; for to defend that pass with what was her crippled force would lead to innumerable deaths, yet to let it fall into His hands would mean He could move His army past her forces.

If He did attack, she wasn't sure she could make the right choice. She didn't confide her fear with any of her aids, nor did she let her superiors know what could happen. For it was her duty to carry this burden, and carry it she would.

That event, the event that could change the course of the war, could bring the war to an end in a matter of days, instead of months, had happened today. And since returning to camp, she had done nothing but wait. She didn't eat, instead sending her food to her men, something she did often, though they never knew. And as the day dragged on into night, He didn't attack.

The next day, she lead a scouting party, and discovered that He wasn't preparing for anything; it was as though He didn't know about His advantage, about the thing that could end this war in His favor. And the next day, and the next, and the one after that, were the same. Her men began to recover, and slowly but surely He lost His advantage. And still, He made no move to attack, no move to win.

She spent a lot of time in her tent, looking over her war map, over the visual display that took up most of her space. It was her most valuable asset, for it showed the location of each legion, each platoon, and each division belonging to the Johto Infantry. It showed all the passes, the tunnels, the roads, and all the clearings throughout Mt. Silver. And it showed all the known locations of the Kantonian Army.

Slowly, she began to formulate a plan, something that would astound Him, that was so far from her mindset that He would never anticipate her trying it. He would be surprised, and He would suffer defeat, if she could pull this off. And as she developed this plan, she continued to give away her rations, refusing to eat anything, and making sure no one knew she was starving herself. And still He didn't attack.

Near the center of Mt. Silver, on the side closer to Kanto, there was a spot were nearly ever road and mountain path converged. It was her goal, for if Johto took that spot, dubbed Point Nine, the entire Johto Infantry could be placed there, vast mob protecting the lands of Johto. The Kanto's superior numbers would mean little. If her plan worked, Johto could hold on to Mt. Silver for years, maybe even decades.

And the manpower she needed could then be spared, allowing her to attack Him, and push Him back until at last He was destroyed. And then her legion could link up with the main Infinity, and Johto could retake the Indigo Plateau, and make their stand there. In the end, her plan would shift the tides of war, and Kanto would be forced on the defensive.

She began talking to each unit leader, each captain, each general. She won the support she needed, and her plan was adopted. Johto prepared to initiated a push for Point Nine, clearing away all Kanto camps and bases that were behind that location; slowly, the Johto Infinity would merged together at that spot.

And still He didn't attack. He could have ruined her plan, for she was the only thing standing the way of Him circling around and trapping what remained of Johto's army at Point Nine. If He attacked, He had a chance of overwhelming her; surely He must have known that.

She put together a small raiding party, consisting of the strongest Pokémon trainers she had. Her decision was simple, easily made after all this time fighting Him; her raiding party would attack His camp, forcing Him to retaliate, and allowing the main body of her legion to circle Him, and strike at His exposed flank. It would be a massacre, and He would have to pull out His troops, leaving her the way forward.

She donned her glorious armor, took up her heavy spear, and mounted her Dragonite, and took to the sky, her men following underneath. The flight was long, for Dragonite had to fly slowly to remain silent, and to allow the raiding party to keep up. Not that she minded the slowness of the flight, for waiting at the end if it would be her victory.

But not everything is as it seems.

The cries of her men echoed throughout the mountain passes, reaching up higher and higher until they found her ears. She ordered Dragonite to drop down, intending to investigate what had happened. When Dragonite touched down on the ground, there was no sign her men had ever been there.

Then she heard the roar. Her eyes darted up, and she was confronted with the sight of a Charzard circling overhead, letting out thick, bright jets of fire at seemingly random intervals. A rumble attracted her attention to a spot above her, and to the side, and there she saw a huge Venusaur, flower in full bloom, vines raised menacingly in the air.

A tremble behind her compelled her to look in that direction. A gargantuan Snorlax was lazily resting, obscuring any possibility she had of escaping on the ground. A hushed, sweet sounding cry made her quickly turn her attention to the rocks above; there she saw a Lapras sitting upon a flat slab of stone that jetted out of the cliff. And next to the Lapras was the looming figure of a Blastoise.

"Pika." The sound drew her attention, and she looked again to the space in front of her. And there she saw a boy with black hair that rested underneath a red cap. His face was pail, and look just as unhealthy as she was. His shoulder was the resting place of a Pikachu.

"Go, now!" She ordered Dragonite, and her Pokémon pushed of heavily form the ground, powerful wings flexing, straining to rise higher. Then there was a horrible jolt, for the Blastoise had used Skull Bash, slamming into Dragonite's side, and propelling her into the ground.

She struggled, and managed to jump of the falling Dragonite, landing on the ground with something that symbolized grace. She saw that He drew a sward form his side, and she retaliated by pulling her spear from off her back. She squared her shoulders, and watched as her drew closer. And from the corner of her eye, she kept a tab on Dragonite.

He didn't charge at her, didn't rush her in any way. He seemed content to let her make the first move. She was amazed by His calm, His self-control. And she was surprised that He didn't call out to His Pokémon to finish her.

She was concerned, too. For she could feel the weakness of her body, the months of malnutrition, rearing its ugly head, hoping to bring about her end. She knew that in her waning state of power, she would be an easy target for Him.

So she waited, seeming to take her time, until Dragonite was standing once more. Then, as swiftly as possible, she yelled "Hyper Beam!"

Dragonite opened its mouth and from yawning depth of its might, it called forth the power it needed to comply with her order. The bright beam of energy exploded forth, growing closer and closer to Him.

Then Charzard was blocking the way, bellowing an intense spurt of fire, which collided with Dragonite's Hyper Beam. For a moment, she watched in awe as Charzard's Flamethrower matched Dragonite's Hyper Beam. Then, steadily, the Hyper Beam crept closer to Charzard. It would be close, she knew, for Dragonite was already weakening, but it looked as though the Charzard would be overwhelmed.

Then, as Dragonite was about to win, the Pikachu jumped off of His shoulder, and let lose a dazzling bolt of lightning, cut through Dragonite's Hyper Beam, blocking its path until at last Dragonite closed its mouth, its energy exhausted.

Charzard stepped out of the way, allowing Him to walk forward. He was staring sadly at her, His face holding traces of disappointment. He didn't say anything, just waited for her to attack. And she felt obligated to test herself against Him, for He wanted an honorable fight, and that was rare now that spirit of war had consumed the land.

She lunged at Him, her spear leaping forth, aiming for His heart. And He parried with His sword, using her momentum to spin her around Him, before taking a brief offence. His sword sliced through the air, and she barely had the strength to deflect His attack with her spear.

And then He was on the defensive again, His actions forcing her to be the attacker.

She was already tired, her fatigue destroying what little energy she had. She tried a few attacks, each one weak and unable to do any real damage to Him. And He let her put up her fight, seemingly unwilling to end things. And still He didn't call out to His Pokémon to kill her.

She knew her body was about to give out, she could feel her ability to offer resistance slipping away. In a last effort to survive, she lashed out with all her strength, her greatest desire to pierce His flesh. And He blocked her, not even flinching as she strained to break Him.

He moved swiftly, His arm twisting in an unusual manner, and her spear tumbled out of her hands. She'd lost, and she hated that.

She collapsed to the ground, making it seem like her legs had given out. He stared down at her, His sword held limply at His side. Her hand moved unnoticed, creeping closer to her fall spear. It took a few moments, but finally she grips her fallen weapon. Grasping it tightly, she did her best to stab upwards.

And she missed. Pain shattered her composure, causing her to cry out in pain. His steel had ripped open her flesh, causing blood to poor forth from her veins. She looked up, and He was towering over her. He cut her again, and blackness overtook her briefly. During that temporary blackout her body had been bound tightly by Venusaur and she was carried away, her Dragonite knocked unconscious.

She was moved gently, caringly, through the mountains to the camp He was using. It took a while, but the reached His base of operation , she was tied to a cross made of stone. He took each of her Poké Balls, and placed them lightly upon the ground in front of her. The men of His army swarmed around her, forming a circle, all staring at her.

"Shear Cold." He said, voice dull and soft. His Lapras complied, giving a slight nod of its head. Lapras used the attack, and each of her Poké Balls grew colder and colder, crystalizing into ice. He looked into her eyes, and used the butt of her staff, her weapon, to smash each of her Poké Balls, one by one.

She was too weak to do anything about it, too weak to even cry out in anguish. With each smashed ball, He killed another of her Pokémon. And then there were none left, save her Dragonite, who was also chained.

"Draco Meteor!" She choked out.

Dragonite responded, and the sky was blackened by its power. Three, then five, then twelve, then twenty massive, purplish black meteors formed in the sky. Gravity took effect, and they dropped down, intending to lay waste to the camp.

Pikachu rushed forward, a titanic eruption of electricity gushed forth from its small, mouse-like body. It hit the closest meteor, smashing it into smaller pieces, each of those pieces still connected by the lightning, shattering into even smaller shards. Then the lightning leapt from what remained on the first meteor to the others, smashing each of them apart in turn.

The smaller shards were still a danger, so Venusaur let loose with a Razor Leaf, the leaves forming an impenetrable canopy, which stopped the small fragments that remained.

Her plan had failed, her last attempt to defend herself resulting in nigh. And He took her spear and rammed it into her Dragonite's throat. Then He turned to her

"Do you want to know something?" He asked her, but she was too distraught, no pathetic, to answer. So he simply continued, "You could have been great. You could have had power, and beauty, and glory, and money, and everything you ever wanted. Do you understand? But that's lost, no longer an option for you. You chose the wrong side, Clair."

And He walked away, leaving her to the mercy of His men, who were driven by a primal lust. As He drew closer to His tent, the sounds of Clair's screams filled the air. He walked into His tent, Pikachu following obediently behind Him.

He tossed His hat onto His desk, and sat down on His bed. He took a moment to compose Himself, trying to stop the shivering that ripped through His body. Pikachu jumped up, landing on His shoulder, and nuzzling into His shoulder.

He let out a sigh, and grabbed a pen and a piece of paper. He began writing His report to Giovanni, telling His commander that He had captured Clair, the former Gym Leader of Blackthorn. And His red eyes were solid, unwavering; He felt no guilt for what was happening to her.

**A/n: I'd like to thank the lovely Sullen Sora678 for agreeing to be my beta, and for helping develop two of the characters for this story. I'd also like to thank those of you who are willing to take the time to read this story; I truly wish to thank all of you. **

**At this point in the author's note, most writers would be asking for reviews. While I would very much like to hear your thoughts on this idea I've put into words, I would rather you place this in your Story Alerts, so that you can keep reading when next this is updated. **

**If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please let me know through PM. The next chapter should be written sometime today or tomorrow, which means chapter Six should be posted sometime Friday or Saturday. **


	6. Johto III

**MewTwo's War, Part One:**

_**Rise of Giovanni.**_

**Johto III**

The sea breeze wasn't something he'd been looking forward to dealing with, the only problem he had with making this voyage. Still, it was something he knew he'd have to contend with, so he did his best to keep down the bile that was slowly rising up his throat. It wasn't working very well.

Aaron had lived on Sinnoh most of his adult life, but despite the fact it was an island nation, he rarely ever had to travel on water. Now, however, he was traveling across the greatest body of water in the world, hoping to reach his destination quickly. (Though he was only traversing a small portion of the ocean, and he knew the ship wouldn't move any faster, no matter how sea sick he was.)

Aaron was looking word to being in Johto again, a place he'd not seen since he was little. He'd been born there, long ago, and had lived there for the start of his childhood. Once he'd gotten his first Pokémon, a Scyther of all things, he'd started on his Pokémon journey; he moved from town to town, village to city, exploring the vastness of his world.

He had eventually added a Paras and a Heracross to his team, and then tried his hand at gathering gym badges. It had been fun, somewhat, but by the fourth badge he was tired of traveling. So, with all the winnings he'd received from battling, he settled in Azalea Town and started a small gym.

That hadn't been for him either. At the age of fifteen he left Azalea Gym, hoping someone would take over for him. Thus he set out for the Sinnoh region, exploring that land, battling their gym leaders, and eventually earning the honor of being a part of their Elite Four (Though he, Aaron, lacked the fame that accompanied the Elite Four of Kanto and Johto, which currently ruled over the Johto region.)

Aaron was glad to be going home, even if he felt no ties to the region. The reason he was returning, however, was not a pleasant affair, and thusly Aaron pushing it to the back of his mind, refusing to think about it. Instead, Aaron settled for staring up at the sky, trying to block out the rolling motions of the ship as it hurried across the water.

"Sir?" A younger boy, probably twelve or thirteen, tugged lightly on Aaron's shirt, gaining his attention. "Are you alright?"

Aaron, looked down at his assistant, one of many he had, but the only to accompany Aaron on this journey. He smiled a small smile, and nodded his head. He felt too sick to speak, so he limited his response to body language.

"The captain said he needs to see you." The kid said, looking a little worried. Not that Aaron would notice, having already turned his attention back to the sky.

Aaron, still trying to look upwards, gave a nod, and started walking across the deck to the captain's chamber. It took a little over half a minute, but Aaron managed to walk into someone, falling flat on his back by the force of the collision.

Standing above him, playful smirk in full bloom, was Riley, wearing his annoyingly blue outfit. He extended a hand, intending to help Aaron up, which Aaron took gratefully. Hands connected, Aaron acted faster than Riley, and pulled the black haired man down on top of him.

"What are you doing?" Riley asked airily, as though he wasn't sure if he should be amused or apathetic. "Do you really want to scar that poor boy for life, making him see me atop you, in broad daylight?"

"Hey, you're the one who knocked me down. I'm just extracting compensation." Aaron said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"You walked into me. 'twas thy own fault that thy ended up on thy back… this time."

Aaron started laughing, glad that Riley was playing along. He pushed the smaller man off him, and stood shakily, the motion of the ship getting to him. He set off again, calling over his shoulder, "I'll see you later, right."

"Maybe. It'll be a surprise." Riley responded as Aaron reach the door to the captain's room. Not bothering to knock, for he was a member of the Elite Four after all, he pushed the door open and walked in.

The captain was standing over the radar, to see if there were any hostiles attempting to encroach on them. He looked up at Aaron before returning to what he was doing.

"Sir, we are just over a day from your destination. Should you require anything, please feel free to let one of the lads below deck know."

Aaron nodded, not realizing the captain was unable to see him, before saying a few words of thanks. (Though he actually was rather upset that the captain had requested his presence for something so trivial.) Turning his back on the captain, Aaron, again opened the door, and stepped through it, this time running straight into his assistant, knocking the younger boy down.

"Apologies, sir." The younger boy cried out.

"It's fine. I wasn't paying attention anyway, so I should be apologizing to you." Aaron smiled kindly down and the younger, though in the back of his mind the green haired man wondered why such an insecure child would accompany him so far away from home. Extending his hand, Aaron said, "Here, let me help you up."

The young boy looked up, eyes widened in awe. Then, rather than taking Aaron's outstretched hand, he scrambled to stand on his own. He succeeded in his endeavor, bowed slightly to Aaron, and rushed away. Though he was sure it could have only been a figment of his imagination, Aaron thought he saw the young assistant blushing.

"Why 'twas thee who said perchance we would meet on this that promises to be a fine night. Yet in my heart of hearts, could I do anything but await your return. What say you! Wanna get some lunch?" Riley said, suddenly standing behind Aaron.

"Sure," Aaron said. "But you're paying."

"Aaron, you know food is provided free of cost, do you not?"

"You're still paying." Aaron mumbled, walking in the direction of the ship's lunchroom. Riley trailed behind, wondering how Aaron planned to make him spend money. He failed to reach a conclusion, and simply walk behind the taller man.

"What did the captain want to speak with you about?"

"Not much. Just told me we'd be in Johto soon. It was somewhat annoying, being bugged for something so insignificant, but I'm glad that we're nearly there." Aaron said, taking a seat at one of the empty tables, gesturing with his hand in the direction of where food could be procured. Riley raised an eyebrow, and Aaron stared at him pointedly.

"What do you want?" Riley finally asked with a sigh.

"Rice balls, with pickled plumbs as the filling." Aaron said, grinning. Then, and Riley was walking to retrieve the food, Aaron added, "Thanks, Ri."

"You're welcome." The blue clad man said, setting down a plate piled with the rice balls Aaron had asked for. Then, in a louder voice, with a grin plastered to his face, Riley added, "I told you you're only allowed to call me Ri when you're moaning. Like last night, when I had you handcuffed to the bed for hours."

"He's joking! It's just a joke! At no time last night was I handcuffed to a bed!" Aaron shouted, voice squeaking despite his age. His face was dark red, a strong contrast to the bright green of his hair. Slowly, the others in the lunchroom looked away from the pair, choosing to return their attention to their own conversations.

"Methinks the la-"

"I will hurt you," Aaron said, glaring at his friend.

"Alright, fine. But I hope you know you look adorable when you blush."

"On more word, and I'll rip you in two."

And Riley burst into laughter, in part because Aaron still had red cheeks, and in part because of Aaron didn't realize what he'd said. And Aaron, blushing harder upon realizing his poor choice of words. He stood up suddenly, dropping what remained of the rice ball he'd been munching on. Riley reached out and grabbed his hand, but Aaron brushed off his grip and left.

He traveled deeper into the ship, drawing closer to his room, suddenly oblivious to the sea sickness that had plagued him since leaving Sinnoh. He didn't know why he felt so railed up, having dealt with Riley's humor for nearly a decade. Reaching his room, Aaron slipped into his cabin, locking the door behind.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, Riley leaving his alone to sulk in his embarrassment. (Over the course of their friendship Aaron often threw tantrums like this, and the man in black and, more prominently, in blue had long ago learned it was best to wait until Aaron was ready to talk.) It was at exactly nineteen minutes past eight in the morning when the Sinnoh Allied Ship, the _Angeal_, sailed into Goldenrod, capital of what was known as Johto.

Aaron essentially ran to the upper deck, ignoring the estranged looks he was receiving from the people he'd brought with him. Upon reaching the upper deck, he saw Riley, the ship's captain, and the young assistant, waiting for him. Aaron rushed over to them, running past the group, and pivoted over the steel railing. Aaron of the Elite Four landed with a thud, and stood with shaky legs. Looking over his shoulder, he called out, "I'll meet you there, Ri."

Riley, who was again wearing crisp black pants and a blue over shirt, watched as his friend sprinted off in the direction of the Government Building. Adjusting the brim of his hat, Riley looked down at Aaron's aid.

"Tell the men they're to remain onboard the ship. Once we've spoken with… Agatha, was it? Yes, once we've spoken with her, Aaron and I will return with orders for them. Understand?"

Once the assistant had nodded, Riley turned and headed to the ramp, which was still being extended down to the dock. It took another minute for the ramp to finish connecting, and to be locked into place. When that was completed, Riley spoke a few polite words to the ship's captain, and disembarked.

Goldenrod was a vast metropolis, and despite the poverty that had settled here during the war, it was still densely populated and growing. For someone like Riley, who had never been to Johto, let alone to Goldenrod, the vast and unfamiliar city was labyrinth. Despite his excellent since of direction, Riley couldn't help but get lost.

Aaron, on the other hand, reached the Government Building with remarkable ease; the last time he'd been in Johto, Blackthorn had still been the capital, and there had been no Government Building in Goldenrod. With an air of importance about him, Aaron stepped over the threshold, entering the Government Building's lobby.

Taking a moment to look around, Aaron saw that behind a counter running nearly the entire length of the right-hand wall were a dozen greeters. A few of them had noticed him, and were doing their best to discreetly wave him over. Aaron made his way across the lobby, glancing briefly at a magnificent fountain located in the center of the vestibule.

"You're Sir Aaron of Sinnoh?" A young lady asked when he reached the counter.

"I am." Aaron said with a bright smile and a slight nod.

"Please, follow me." The lady said, giving a crisp bow before walking around the counter and through a set of heavy oak doors. Aaron followed diligently. "Lady Agatha is waiting with the ambassadors from Hoenn and Sinnoh."

"They're expecting me?" Aaron asked, confused. His trip from Canalave City to Goldenrod was supposed to have been a secret.

"No, I don't think so. Sir Zero asked me, and a few of the other ladies, to be on the lookout for you, though he wasn't positive when you'd be arriving. Oh, my. It looks as though we're here. Please, have a nice morning."

Aaron was left standing before a beautifully crafted door, the scene of a Pokémon Battle from long ago carved into the wood. The green haired man could hear voices through the door, though the wood was thick enough to muffle what was being said. Aaron gripped the door's handle, and pushed it open, walking in.

"About time you got here!" Zero called out, walking over to the Elite Four member, clasping a hand on his shoulder. "What took you so long?"

"Took a while to gather the volunteers I needed. Sorry about making you wait."

"Volunteers? Aaron, what are you talking about?" Agatha asked.

Aaron turned to the elderly woman, and gave her a giant grin. He had only met her a few times, the first being just after he'd become a Gym Leader; a few weeks later is when Giovanni began his takeover of Kanto. The last time Aaron had seen her was at a Pokémon League conference held just days before the attack was made on the Indigo Plateau. He was sincerely glad to see her again, and happy she was safe.

"About fifty trainers, all agreeing to serve under my command. There aren't soldiers, but they know how to use their Pokémon to fight. That's actually why I'm here, to serve in the capacity of a Vanguard. At least, that's the plan."

"When are the others going to get here? I'd like to see Candice again." Zero asked.

"Well, that's the thing." Aaron said with a forced laugh, running his hand through his hair. "Right now, I'm the only one coming."

"What?" Sieg asked.

"Well, the senators are unwilling to commit themselves to a war. I'm only here because Cynthia wanted to send a sign of good faith. Right now, she's trying to get the military turned over to herself and the others of the Elite Four, but… well, the Elite Four isn't as idolized in Sinnoh as it is here and in Hoenn. Right now, the best we can hope for is the Gym Leaders raising a small militia of volunteers."

"I," Agatha said, placing a hand on as close to his shoulder as she could reach, "For one am glad you've come. Please have a seat."

Aaron sat down, choosing a vacant chair between Zero and Sieg. Across from him was a boy with purple eyes, who seemed content with ignoring him.

"You have excellent timing, Aaron. It seems one of Aggy's dumbass generals has gone and gotten herself killed. So, they probably want someone skilled to take over." Zero said, shooting a glare at Agatha.

"We don't know if Clair is dead." The purple eyed boy said. Then, finally looking at Aaron directly, he added, "It's is nice to meet you, Aaron Ryō. I am Derik, servant to His Majesty Sebastian, Emperor of the Island of the Psychics."

"It's very nice to…hey, Zero, what were you talking about?" Aaron asked, his attention distracted by the comment Zero had made before Derik's interdiction. "Clair, the Miracle Worker, she's dead?"

"No." Agatha sighed. "She just not there anymore. She may be dead, but it's just as likely that she has only been captured."

"Or she came to her senses, and switched sides." Zero chimed in.

"I guess I really did get here just in time. I'm here to help, so tell me what to do." Aaron said, no longer smiling. He'd adopted a seriousness he had learned from Riley.

"If you'd be willing to wait a minute, you can discuss matters with Bruno. He's currently heading our main line at Mt. Silver. With General-Elect Clair gone, Bruno is the de facto leader of the entire Johto Infantry."

"I thought Lance-kun was heading your military." Sieg said, looking confused.

"He's operating independently of the main army. He's our champion, and we wouldn't dare tie him down with the chains of command. He has our support, and the love of ourselves and our nation, but he doesn't have technical control over us."

"I see. Very well." Sieg said. "How will we be talking with this Bruno person? Is he leaving the front just to come and speak with us?"

"No, I am not." A gruff, powerful voice echoed throughout the room. Aaron, and the others, turned towards the back wall, now alight with the clear image of the man called Bruno. "Video conference is the way I communicate with those not fighting."

"Do you mind if we skip the subtle jeers and blatant accusations of cowardice? I'm too tired to have another battle right now." Derik sighed, vigorously rubbing his right temple.

"What's he talking about?" Aaron whispered into Zero's ear.

"It's nothing. Just a psychic being stupid. Nothing new." Zero whispered back, though he made sure to speak loud enough to be heard by everyone else at the table.

"Your report."

"Are you sure it is wise to speak about what has been happening in front of outsiders?" Bruno asked.

"Our Sinnoh friend here," Agatha pointed at Aaron, "Has decided to enlist in our army."

And so they spent nearly an hour discussing where Aaron and his volunteers would be placed, and who they would serve under. Also, a topic of discussion that was brought up was what type compensation would be given to Aaron's volunteers.

"Are you sure?" Aaron asked for the second time. "Those who came with me did so knowing you had little to offer. Riley and I had decided to pool our money to pay them."

"Nonsense! Johto is capable of settling its own debt. We'll place sixteen thousand a day, and place another twenty thousand on a retainer to be paid after the war." Agatha said.

"That's one million Eight Hundred thousand a day. I don't see how a broke region like you could hope to afford that!" Said Zero.

"What if Riley and I paid them for their daily service, and you funded their retainer. And you paid us back at the end of the war. That way the men get paid, and it's basically Johto paying them." Aaron suggested.

"He's right. Johto lacks the monetary funds to sustain such efforts, and His Majesty cannot afford to impart you additional moneys to commission mercenaries."

"Come now Aaron, you shouldn't bind me into agreements without my consent." A voice called out from the now open doorway. "You left me."

"Ri, you made it!" Aaron laughed.

"Damn it, not this rich brat." Zero whined form his chair.

"I got lost. This city is massive! I don't really think I like it that much, but I'm not used to such large buildings. What I miss?"

"Not much. You and I are paying the solders, and we're taking over the position of one of Johto's lost generals. Now, we need to leave, so we can mobilize our forces, and head out for Mt. Silver. Plus, we need to leave before Agatha can argue with me."

And like that, Aaron of the Sinnoh Elite Four, and the blue clad Riley, were gone, leaving Agatha alone with the regional ambassadors. (Bruno had ended the video chat, needing to returned to combat.)

"So, what now?" Sieg asked.

"Well Sieg we could call in some of our trainer buddies to fight with us, right?"

"Who would be willing to risk their lives just because we asked?"

"Don't all of the ninjas in Hoenn respect you and follow your every whim?"

"What good would ninjas be in the Mt. Silver, faced against Kanto? And no, sadly, they lost interest in me after the Fortree incident."

"Wha- damn, should've told me that sooner. What about the Winstrate family, you still have their respect right?"

"Hoenn is already mobilizing our forces for a campaign. Unlike you, I, and the Hoenn Elite Three, hold the respect of the people. Once preparations are complete, Hoenn, as a region, will enter into this war. Bringing mercenaries will be a useless pursuit for me."

"Damn you're just trying to make me feel guilty aren't you. The Elite Four can't do jack until The Senate gives us the military. I can call in more than a few people that owe me personal favors, but that's about it for right now." Zero said with sigh and a shake of his head.

"Any help will be welcome. I thank you." Agatha said softly, eyes downcast and full of sadness.

"I'll get on calling my friends in, if they hurry there'll be another Thirty to Forty trainers here in anywhere from a few hours ta two days at the most. I'll also see if I can't get a gym leader or two in on this to take a vacation near the Johto region, but I can't make any promises on the last one."

"I'll speak with His Majesty; it may be possible that our citizenry may wish to give aid as well. If so, are more concrete defense of Mt. Silver may be possible to maintain. Though, even with the aid of Hoenn's military, I do not think Kanto will be quick to fall." Derik said. "Oh…that's not good, is it."

Before Zero, or anyone else, could ask what he was talking about, the door again was pushed open. His pants were worn, faded, and dirty. His plush sweeter, which was still a deep midnight black, was torn in dozens of places, and in spots blood could be seen. Worst of all, he was without his trademark purple scarf.

"Morty!" Agatha called out, pushing herself out of her chair.

"I…Sabrina, she's finally made an appearance. She…there at Dread Isle. I couldn't…had to leave. I'm sorry." Morty, the blond haired clairvoyant of Ecruteak, collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

And silence fell over the room.


	7. Fall City I

**MewTwo's War, Part One:**

_**Rise of Giovanni.**_

**Fall City I**

The wall had been hastily constructed, a haphazardly assembled barrier that was unlikely to provide any true protection. The main line of defense were the trenches scarring the land. The people manning the trenches were scared, starving, and slowly their morale was withering away, but for not, they strove with all their might to protect Fall City, the last of the Fiore cities to remain independent of Giovanni and his regime.

It wasn't working. The men, and women, who were fighting for their livelihoods weren't soldiers, weren't fighters, weren't even Pokémon Trainers. A few had been Pokémon Rangers, who had been tasked with the preservation of nature, before Giovanni had made his move. And so, the last city of Fiore was quickly falling.

Food wasn't something the City had ever thought to stockpile; for as long as the city had existed, they had imported what they couldn't grow, turning to small villages lining East Road. Because of this, when Kanto attacked, Fall City had dangerously low amounts of food within its boundaries. Now, after two weeks of siege, the supplies they had were gone, leaving nothing left for Pokémon and person alike.

A mile from Fall City, at the head of the Kantonian forces, face framed by flowing orange hair, covered in armor of profound cerulean, stood Fleet Admiral Kasumi. By her side, Lt. Surge, Commander General of the Kanto Army, stood, wearing the most disturbing, cruel, bloodthirsty, sadistic, heartlessly brutal, vicious, mercilessly murderous, harsh grin.

"What do you want to do?" Surge asked.

"Let them starve."

"Where's the fun in that? We should slaughter them all and be done with it."

"Indeed, that is one possibility. However, the simple fact that we can beat them without taking action, do you not think that would demoralize any survivors who chose to surrender to us? And, it will give us a pretext upon the start of our Almia campaign." She said, drawing closer to her companion.

"Once again, why not kill them and show what we do to all that oppose us. That would be just as intimidating if not more so. Make your decision, I'd rather be killing these cowards than watching them die."

She turned, pressing her body against his. Her mouth moved to his ear, where she, voice dripping with venom, whispered, "You command the Army, remember? If you want to kill them, then do so."

"Well then we shouldn't keep the weaklings inside that shithole city waiting." Lt. Surge pushed her away, turning his attention full to the men behind him. "You know why we're here? Because Fiore is a rotting place, fill with stupidity and weakness. We're here because Kanto has decided to extend the hand of civility and wisdom to these savages. And what do they do in return? They try to resist the kindness Giovanni has offered. So, boys, it's time to have some fun."

Cheers rang out from the men, who had been growing restless as the days had dragged on. Now, finally, they were going to see some action, and that filled them with a permeable elation. They abandoned their lustrous formation, choosing instead to charge forward as a rabid, blood craving mob.

"Are you going with them?" She asked, wrapping her arms around Surge's waist, pressing her body against his back. "Or are we going to spend some alone time in your tent?"

"Maybe later, after my sword is drenched in blood." He hefted the claymore that had been thrust into the dirt next to him, setting it over his shoulder. "Whether you come with or not doesn't concern me." Saying that Surge strode confidently after his troops.

She caught his arm, using it as leverage to pull herself ahead of Surge. Her body was nothing to her, a simple means to an end, and now she chose to use it as a barrier, stopping him from moving. She drew her blade, a reaper. It was swift, flexible, and now she held its point to Surge's neck.

"I want you now." She growled.

Surge was stronger than her, his claymore more powerful than the weapon she welded, yet she had more refined movements and quicker reflexes. She could cut through his neck before he had a chance to strike, and that made the former gym leader grin even larger.

"Well fine." He laughed, dropping his sword. At that action, she sheathed her blade, and allowed herself to be pulled into a rough, passionate kiss. "If you really want it now, I guess I have to oblige you."

As Surge lead her towards his tent, his army was overwhelming the faulty resistance that was offered. They swept into the trenches, hacking into the flesh of the defenders. It was a massacre, and the Kantonian forces were letting there joy drive them further, until all the trenches of Fall City were cleared; when there was no one left, Kanto extended forward.

Fall City was no more, the people butchered. The brutality was something Surge could be proud of, and for that he let his men plunder the city, taking anything they wanted. This was done, everything that held even a bit of value taken. Fleet Admiral Kasumi told the men to pile the bodies of the Fiore dead to be piled in the city. Fall City was set ablaze, all traces of it erased.

The Fiore Region was under the control of Kanto, Giovanni had won.

When Kasumi told him of the victory, he didn't smile. He didn't rejoice. He didn't congratulate or thank. He said nothing to Fleet Admiral Kasumi, ignoring her completely. Giovanni said nothing, did nothing to acknowledge what had been said.

The image of Giovanni wavered, reforming into that of the blue eyed man, the one who spoke on behalf of Kanto's leader.

The man spoke well, his crisp voice twisting Kasumi's thoughts until she was sure her actions were those that would please Giovanni. Almia would be next.


End file.
